After robotic kidney cancer surgery, most patients recover faster and with less pain than they would after an open operation. A few small keyhole cuts replace one long incision, and many patients are on their feet the next day. Healing deeper down takes longer, though. How long robotic kidney surgery recovery time lasts depends on the operation, the tumour and the patient’s general health.

According to Prof. Dr. Sandeep Nayak, Surgical Oncologist in Bengaluru at MACS Clinic, patients tend to focus on the operation itself and are caught off guard by the tiredness afterwards. “The operation is the shorter part of it. Pain settles within days, but the body takes weeks to catch up. Walking early, resting properly and not lifting too soon matter more than most people expect.”

Waking up. It starts in the recovery area, where nurses check blood pressure, breathing and pain for a few hours. After that the patient goes to the ward, usually with a urinary catheter and sometimes a thin drain by the wound. Both are generally removed in a day or two.

Pain. It is mostly mild to moderate, and tablets are enough for most patients. Day two to day four is usually the sorest stretch. Some patients also feel an ache at the tip of the shoulder. That comes from the gas used to inflate the abdomen, and it wears off in a few days.

Getting moving. Sitting up, a few steps, some deep breaths: the nurses will ask for all three on the first day. It keeps the lungs clear and the legs moving, and that matters for clots. Most patients can eat again that day or soon after.

Going home. Day one, two or three is typical. Open surgery keeps patients in a few days longer because the wound is so much bigger. The small incisions of robotic cancer surgery are the main reason the stay is shorter.

Weeks one and two. Tiredness catches many patients out. Even a short walk can feel like a lot. Walk a little, several times a day, and sleep when the body asks for it. Appetite returns slowly, and the bowels can take a few days to get going. Wound care is done as the surgical team advises.

Lifting and exercise. No heavy lifting for the first four to eight weeks. The exact number depends on the operation and on what the surgeon says. Gym work and running wait as well. Driving is fine once pain no longer slows the reflexes, which is usually after two to four weeks.

Back to work. Desk work can often restart at around four to six weeks. Jobs involving heavy lifting take longer. Fatigue can linger for up to two months, which is normal.

Partial or radical. Recovery after the two is broadly similar. The kidney repair in a partial nephrectomy often means the lifting limits last a little longer.

What to report. Call the surgical team if there is a fever, or if the wound turns red, swollen or starts to leak. The same goes for pain that is climbing rather than easing, and for blood in the urine that won’t clear. A calf that is swollen and tender, or any breathlessness, should be reported as well.

Men can get breast cancer too. It is not common, since fewer than one in a hundred cases is in a man, but it is common enough that doctors see it. The cause is nothing mysterious. A man has a bit of breast tissue behind each nipple, the same as anyone, and cells in that tissue can turn cancerous. The difficulty is that few men think of it, so a lump is often left alone for a while. That delay is the real problem with male breast cancer. The sections below cover who is at risk, what to watch for and how a lump is tested.

According to Prof. Dr. Sandeep Nayak, Surgical Oncologist in Bengaluru at MACS Clinic, the delay usually comes down to embarrassment, or to the belief that this is a women’s disease. “A man with a lump in his chest should get it looked at, the same as a woman would. Often it’s nothing serious, but you can’t know that by feeling it. It needs an examination, a scan and sometimes a biopsy.”

There isn’t one clear cause, and for many men there’s no obvious reason at all. A few things do show up more often, though.

Age. Mostly a disease of older men, with the average patient somewhere in his 60s or 70s. A man in his 40s can get it, but that’s unusual.

Family and genes. A mother, sister or father who has had breast cancer counts. Then there are the BRCA2 and BRCA1 genes. A fault in either one can come from the father’s side as well as the mother’s.

Hormones. Anything that leaves a man with more oestrogen than usual can play a part. Cirrhosis of the liver does this, and so does Klinefelter syndrome, a condition where a boy is born with an extra X chromosome. Both are linked with a higher risk.

Past radiation and extra weight. Radiotherapy to the chest earlier in life is one factor, since treatment for one cancer can rarely lead to a second cancer years later. Obesity is another, because body fat makes oestrogen.

Having a risk factor doesn’t mean cancer is coming. And plenty of men with breast cancer tick none of these boxes.

The lump. Hard, painless and usually just under the nipple or to one side of it. Men tend to find it by accident, in the shower or while pulling on a shirt. A separate guide covers breast cancer symptoms, screening and prevention in more detail.

The nipple. Watch for one that has started pulling inwards, any discharge (blood-streaked fluid especially), or a crusty, sore spot that won’t heal.

Skin and armpit. The skin over the chest may pucker or turn red, and a lump can show up in the armpit.

Not always cancer. Gynaecomastia is far more common than cancer, and it also causes swelling behind the nipple, sometimes on both sides. Fingers can’t tell the difference, which is why a doctor has to check.

Getting a diagnosis. First comes an examination, then usually a mammogram or ultrasound, and a needle biopsy to get a sample. The lab studies the sample under the microscope and also tests it for hormone receptors and HER2. Those two results matter a great deal once treatment is being planned.

You can check for oral cancer at home once a month by looking inside your mouth in a mirror under a bright light, and by feeling for lumps. This cancer self-examination takes a few minutes. It looks for sores that don’t heal, white or red patches and lumps in the mouth or neck. It helps you notice changes early, but it can’t rule cancer out and doesn’t replace an examination by a doctor or dentist.

Prof. Dr. Sandeep Nayak, Surgical Oncologist at MACS Clinic, Bangalore, explains where cancer self-examination of the mouth fits in. “A home check is a way to learn what is normal for your mouth. Most changes turn out to be harmless, such as a bitten cheek or a sore from a sharp tooth. A sore, patch or lump that doesn’t settle in three weeks needs a proper examination. The home check supports regular visits to a doctor or dentist and doesn’t replace them.”

It takes a few minutes in front of a mirror, in good light.

Get ready: Wash your hands and take out any dentures. Stand in front of a mirror with a bright light, such as a torch, and pick a set day each month.

Face and neck: Look at both sides of the face and neck for swelling. Press gently along the jaw and the sides of the neck for lumps.

Lips and gums: Pull down the lower lip and lift the upper lip to see the inside. Look at the gums, front and back.

Cheeks and roof of the mouth: Pull each cheek away with a finger and look for red or white patches. Tilt the head back and look at the roof of the mouth.

Tongue and floor of the mouth: Stick the tongue out to see the top and sides, then lift it to see the underside and the floor of the mouth. Feel gently for hard spots. Our page on oral cancer treatment explains the tests used if a concern is found.

Most mouth changes are harmless. These are the ones that need a doctor’s opinion.

A sore that doesn’t heal: A mouth ulcer that lasts more than three weeks. Early mouth cancer can look like an ordinary ulcer.

White or red patches: Patches that don’t go away, or a mixed red and white area. Our blog on precancerous mouth lesions explains the common ones.

A lump or thickening: A lump or hard area inside the mouth, on the lip, or in the neck or throat.

Numbness, pain or changes in function: Numbness, ongoing pain, bleeding, loose teeth, trouble chewing or swallowing, or dentures that no longer fit.

Higher risk: Chewing tobacco, gutka, betel quid or areca nut, smoking and heavy alcohol use raise the risk, so people who use them should check carefully and see a dentist or doctor regularly. Our blog on what causes oral cancer covers the causes.

• Once a month, in good light with a mirror, take out any dentures and look at your lips, cheeks, gums, tongue (top, sides and underneath), and the roof of your mouth.
• Run your fingers along your jaw and both sides of your neck. A new lump, or one on only one side, needs attention.
• Don’t ignore an ulcer that hasn’t healed in 2–3 weeks, a white or red patch, unexplained bleeding, numbness, or trouble swallowing.
• If you chew tobacco, gutka or paan, or drink often, never skip the monthly check.
• A home check can’t confirm cancer, and early oral cancer usually doesn’t hurt. If anything lasts past three weeks, get it seen by a specialist. Read more about Oral Cancer Treatment.

Partial nephrectomy is kidney surgery where only the tumour comes out, along with a narrow band of healthy tissue around it, and the rest of the kidney stays in the body. Once the tumour is out, the surgeon repairs the kidney with stitches so it keeps doing its job. Doctors mostly use it for small tumours, and for people who can’t afford to lose much kidney function. Surgeons can reach the kidney through an open cut, with keyhole instruments or with a robot.

Prof. Dr. Sandeep Nayak, Surgical Oncologist at MACS Clinic, Bangalore, explains who is considered for partial nephrectomy. “Think of it this way. Your kidneys have to see you through your whole life, so if we can take the tumour out and leave you with as much working kidney as possible, that’s what we aim for. Whether we can depends mostly on how big the tumour is and where it’s sitting. The other kidney counts too, because its health decides how much kidney we can afford to lose. Not every  tumour is suitable, and removing the whole kidney is the right choice when it isn’t.”

Open, keyhole or robotic, the surgeon goes through roughly the same steps.

Planning: It starts with a CT or MRI. That scan tells the surgeon how big the tumour is, where exactly it sits, and how near it comes to the blood vessels and the part of the kidney that drains urine, so the cut can be planned before anyone picks up a knife.

Access: Some surgeons go in through one larger cut (open surgery), others through a few small keyhole cuts, and some of those use a robot to hold and steer the instruments. Our page on kidney cancer treatment covers the routes used.

Controlling blood flow: The blood supply to the kidney may be clamped for a short time, so the tumour can be removed with less bleeding. This time is kept as short as possible to protect the kidney.

Removing the tumour: The tumour is cut out together with a thin rim of healthy tissue around it, so nothing is left behind at the edge. The piece removed goes for pathology, which checks the edges.

Repair: After that comes the repair. The surgeon stitches the kidney to stop the bleeding and to close off the drainage system. Bleeding and urine leaking are the two things surgeons watch for afterwards, so nobody rushes this part.

Small tumours come first on the list, and the case for it gets stronger when kidney function is at stake.

Small tumours: Mostly small ones, though a larger tumour can sometimes qualify if it’s sitting in a convenient spot.

One working kidney: With only one kidney, or a second one that barely works, there’s not much to spare, so saving tissue matters a lot.

Tumours in both kidneys: Take out each tumour separately and you can avoid losing an entire kidney. Our blog on kidney cancer in both kidneys covers this.

Existing kidney disease: If your kidneys are already weak, or you live with diabetes or high blood pressure, every bit of kidney tissue you keep is worth having.

Inherited conditions: A few people inherit a high risk of kidney tumours (von Hippel Lindau disease is one). They can end up needing surgery more than once, so each time the surgeon tries to take as little kidney as possible.

No two cases are quite the same, so the call between a partial and a radical nephrectomy is made patient by patient.

Tumour size and position: Near the surface, a tumour usually comes out cleanly. One buried deep in the kidney, or sitting next to the main blood vessels, is trickier.

Spread: Once the cancer has pushed into the kidney vein, or gone beyond the kidney, a partial nephrectomy usually won’t be enough.

Kidney function: We check how well each kidney works, and the idea is to protect the combined total, not just one side.

General health: Fitness for surgery and anaesthesia shapes the route and the extent.

When the whole kidney comes out: If a partial nephrectomy isn’t safe, radical nephrectomy is advised. Our blog on partial vs radical nephrectomy explains the difference, and our blog on radical nephrectomy surgery covers that operation.

Key Takeaways

• Partial nephrectomy removes the tumour along with a thin rim of healthy tissue, so most of the kidney carries on working.
• It’s used mainly for small tumours, and when protecting kidney function matters most, for instance with one working kidney, tumours in both kidneys or existing kidney disease.
• Open, keyhole or robotic, the surgeon repairs the kidney once the tumour is out.
• Not every tumour suits it. What decides it is the size of the tumour, where it sits, whether it has spread and how well the kidneys work, so it’s best talked through with a specialist.

Blood in the urine is among the most common signs of kidney cancer in adults, though plenty of people get no warning at all in the early stage. Tumours are often picked up by accident, on a scan ordered for something else. When kidney cancer symptoms do show up, they tend to be a pain in the side that won’t go away, a lump, tiredness and weight loss. Most of these have more common causes, so they call for a check rather than alarm.

According to Prof. Dr. Sandeep Nayak, Surgical Oncologist at MACS Clinic, Bangalore why kidney cancer symptoms are easy to miss. “Early kidney cancer is usually quiet. Many tumours are found by chance, on a scan done for another reason. Blood in the urine, a lasting pain in the side or a lump should be checked. Most turn out to have another cause, and a urine test and a scan can settle the question.”

Most signs only show up after the tumour has had time to grow, and plenty of them look like something else.

Blood in the urine: It might look pink, red or the colour of cola, then clear up for a few days, which is exactly why people ignore it. The blood can also come from the bladder, so don’t brush it off. Our blog on warning signs of bladder cancer covers that side.

Pain in the side: A dull ache somewhere between the ribs and the waist that stays put even after you’ve rested.

A lump: Something you can feel, a swelling or lump in the side or back just under the ribs.

Tiredness and weight loss: Feeling worn out for weeks, going off your food, or losing weight when you haven’t been trying to.

Fever and sweating: A high temperature that doesn’t go away, or heavy sweating, including at night. Our page on kidney cancer treatment lists the symptoms and the tests used.

A small tumour can sit inside the kidney for a long time without bothering anything.

No early symptoms: At that size it isn’t pressing on anything, so there’s usually no pain and no change in the urine.

Found by chance: A lot of them are spotted by accident, on an ultrasound or CT done for something like back pain or kidney stones.

Look-alike causes: Stones, urine infections and a pulled back muscle can feel the same, and they’re far more common.

The classic trio is rare: Blood in the urine, side pain and a lump together are rare. Someone can have a tumour and none of the three.

Signs of spread: Once the cancer has spread, you might get bone pain, a cough or breathlessness. Our blog on metastatic renal cell carcinoma covers these signs.

A small tumour can sit inside the kidney for a long time without bothering anything.

No early symptoms: At that size it isn’t pressing on anything, so there’s usually no pain and no change in the urine.

Found by chance: A lot of them are spotted by accident, on an ultrasound or CT done for something like back pain or kidney stones.

Look-alike causes: Stones, urine infections and a pulled back muscle can feel the same, and they’re far more common.

The classic trio is rare: Blood in the urine, side pain and a lump together are rare. Someone can have a tumour and none of the three.

Signs of spread: Once the cancer has spread, you might get bone pain, a cough or breathlessness. Our blog on metastatic renal cell carcinoma covers these signs.